<sect1 id="autofill-chap">
  <title>Autofill Introduction</title>
  <para>
    Often times, a set of sequential or ordered numbers needs to be
    written.  While simple, it is a tedious task to complete.
    <application>Gnumeric</application> allows for a pattern to be set
    with items that can be ordered and have the rest of your sorting
    done automatically.
  </para>
  <para>
    A good example of such a use would be if you wanted to setup a
    list of the months or television station numbers.
  </para>
  <sect2 id="autofill-basic">
    <title>My First Autofill</title>
    <para>
      For being such a timesaver, autofilling in
      <application>Gnumeric</application> is actually quite simple.
      To do an autofill:
      <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Enter a number into the first cell you wish to autofill.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Enter a value into the second cell you wish to
	    autofill.  This must be adjacent to the first cell. This
	    sets the increment to use when autofilling the  rest of your cells.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Select the cells you just entered.  At the bottom-right of
	    the selection should be a small box.  Your mouse cursor
	    will change to a cross-hair when placed over the box.
	    Press and hold on the box.  Drag in the direction you wish to
	    increment.  You can also autofill using the menus.  Make
	    your selection and use:
	    <menuchoice>
	      <guimenu>Edit</guimenu>
	      <guisubmenu>Fill</guisubmenu>
	      <guimenuitem>Autofill</guimenuitem>
	    </menuchoice>
	  </para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Release the button.  The selection you created with the
	    small box should now be filled with numbers based on the
	    increment you set in the first two boxes.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
      </orderedlist>
    </para>
    <tip id="autofill-months">
      <title>Autofilling Months</title>
      <para>
	<application>Gnumeric</application> is able to complete month
	names for you.  Just type your starting month in a cell, the
	second month in the second cell, and drag like you would if
	you were doing numbers.  <application>Gnumeric</application>
	will also increment:
	<variablelist>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Simple Values</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		1, 2, 3, etc.
	      </para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Weekday</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		Monday, Tuesday, etc.
	      </para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Short Weekdays</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		Mon, Tues, etc.
	      </para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Months</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		January, February, etc.
	      </para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Short Months</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		Jan, Feb, etc.
	      </para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Strings with Numbers</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		Item1, Item2, etc
	      </para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	  <varlistentry>
	    <term>Date Strings</term>
	    <listitem>
	      <para>
		11/14/2001, 11/15/2001, etc.
	      </para>
	      <para>
		<application>Gnumeric</application> supports
		incrementing the date by month, date, or year.
	      </para>
		<para>
		  Note that, While <application>Gnumeric</application>
		  will increment days of the month, if you do
		  11/14/2001 and 12/14/2001, it will recognize it as
		  the same day of the month and increment to 1/14/2002
		  instead of the day difference.
		</para>
	    </listitem>
	  </varlistentry>
	</variablelist>
      </para>
    </tip>
  </sect2>
  <sect2 id="autofill-adjacent-size">
    <title>Using Adjacent Columns for Autofill Length</title>
    <para>
      <application>Gnumeric</application> is able to not only autofill
      based on the selection you make, but autofill to the length of an
      adjacent column.
      <example>
	<title>Adjacent Columns for Autofill Length Example</title>
	<para>
	  You enter A1:A10 with random information.  In B1,B2 you
	  enter 1 and 2 respectfully.  Column B will increment through
	  B10, based on the length of A.  The increment used is
	  normally generated by the difference between B1 and B2.
	</para>
      </example>
      To use an adjacent column for length control:
      <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Fill a column or row with information.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Enter information into a column or row to either the right
	    or bottom of the previous information.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Select the column or row you wish to autofill.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    Double-click the small box at the bottom-right to
	    increment by column, with the length controlled by the
	    adjacent column.  Double-click while holding Alt to set
	    the size to the above row.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
      </orderedlist>
    </para>
  </sect2>
</sect1>
